Lakers’ Vogel Earns Spot as Head Coach of Team Lebron in 2020 NBA All-Star Game

By Sentinel News Service

Published January 24, 2020

General Manager Rob Pelinka and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel during the Los Angeles Lakers Media Day for 2019 – 2020 Season at UCLA Health Training Center. (Photo by Jevone Moore)

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel and his staff will coach Team LeBron in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at the United Center in Chicago.

The 69th NBA All-Star Game, featuring Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis, will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States. NBA All-Star 2020 will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

With tonight’s 128-113 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, the Lakers (36-9, .800) clinched at least a tie for the best record in the Western Conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 2. The Utah Jazz is the only team with the potential to tie the Lakers for the best record in the Western Conference through games played on Feb. 2.

According to NBA rules, the first tiebreaker to determine an All-Star Game head coach is better head-to-head record. The Lakers have won both games against the Jazz this season and the teams do not meet again until March, giving Vogel the tiebreaker over Utah head coach Quin Snyder.

As a result, Vogel has earned the spot to coach Team LeBron over the 13 other eligible Western Conference head coaches. The Denver Nuggets’ Michael Malone was ineligible because he served as a head coach in last year’s NBA All-Star Game.

Each head coach in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game will lead the team that includes the captain from the same conference. Vogel and his staff will coach the All-Star team captained by their own player, the Lakers’ LeBron James.

The eligible head coach of the team with the Eastern Conference’s best record through games played on Feb. 2 will coach the All-Star team captained by the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer is ineligible because he served as a head coach in last year’s NBA All-Star Game.

This marks the second NBA All-Star Game head coaching honor for Vogel, who led the Eastern Conference in the 2014 All-Star Game as head coach of the Indiana Pacers. He coached the Pacers for five and a half seasons from 2011-16 and guided them to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014. Vogel also served as head coach of the Orlando Magic for two seasons from 2016-18.

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